Festival Artists-in-Residence
Jonathan Kelliher in collaboration with Sinéad Murrihy
Traditional Dance has been part of the culture in North Kerry for centuries, passed down through the generations by the Dance Masters such as O’Ceirín, Ned Batt Walsh and the great Jeremiah Molyneaux, affectionately known as Munnix.
The residency will consider why the traditional dance of this area is one of the few regional styles to survive today, and what effects this strong tradition has had on the place and its people. Jonathan will collaborate with singer, dancer and musician, Sineád Murrihy, to explore how this unique old style of dance can be relevant in today's world.
Jonathan Kelliher is Artistic Director of Siamsa Tíre’s National Folk Theatre since 2005. He Joined as a professional performer in 1989 and performed in numerous productions nationally and internationally throughout the years. Jonathan has studied the North Kerry style of traditional Irish Dance since the age of six and in 2000, became a Dance Master. Now with over 30 years of teaching experience, he is one of the most respected voices in the style.
Festival Artists-in-Residence
Mary McGuiggan
in collaboration with Maura Johnston and Paraig O'Brien
For Mary McGuiggan, dance is "Food for the Soul". She was raised in a rural community, rich in language, music, poetry, storytelling and song. In her festival residency she explores how her roots have influenced her dance. As an older woman, a mother, grandmother, community and environmental activist, she continues to find avenues to marry her passions. Mary will be collaborating with Maura Johnston and Paraig O’Brien, both of whom share her interests and maybe more importantly come from her own "neck of the woods".
Mary is a traditional step dancer from Ballynease, a rural community, on the banks of the river Bann. She has been dancing since she was 4 years old. She has danced competitively at local, national and All Ireland level and has had a career as a dance teacher at primary, secondary and competition level. Her greatest love is to encourage everyone to dance for joy and fun, building confidence as well as learning a new skill.
Paraig O'Brien is both a traditional and classically trained violin player. Coming from Portglenone a small village straddling the river Bann and Counties Antrim and Derry, the village is renowned for the strength of its musical tradition and cross community collaboration. As a TTCT qualified music teacher he taught fiddle for many years in Creggan in Derry with all age groups.
He has worked with award winning music groups, dance teams and choirs at local, National and International levels.
As a therapist he has witnessed the transformative power of music and the arts in rebuilding people’s lives and forging friendships.
Maura Johnston was born in Moneymore, Co Derry and returned here forty years ago. She has worked in education, with children and adults. She is a writer of poetry and short stories with two collections of poetry published: 'Just Suppose' and 'The Whetstone'. She has also published a glossary of Seamus Heaney’s dialect words.
She has years of experience facilitating writing workshops and reminiscence groups and has worked with local groups to publish books of local interest, for example collecting field names.
Full programme duration: +/- 1hr
Performance
Saturday 23rd September - 5.30pm
Tickets
Tickets £8.80
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Echo Echo Festival Presents Tradition and Beyond 2023
Festival Brochure
Click image above or click here (pdf, 1.8MB)
Ticket Prices
Festival Pass £35 ONLY £30 – Access All Events (3 performance events, 4 workshops, exhibition, screening, talk)
Performance tickets £8 - £10 each
Workshops £5 each
Booking information (Echo Echo Studios)
Online booking via WeGotTickets for all events except Áirc Damhsa event at Cultúrlann:
Booking (Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin)
Online booking via Cultúrlann website for Áirc Damhsa event:
Accessibility information
Festival venues Echo Echo Studios on Magazine Street and Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin on Great James Street are fully accessible.
If you have a specific query please contact us in advance by email: info [at] echoechodance.com or phone: 02871308883.
Further Access information about Echo Echo Studios.
Festival Supporters
Produced by Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company in partnership with Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Siamsa Tíre, Leitrim Dance Project and University of Limerick.
Tradition and Beyond 2023 is kindly supported by the Department for Tourism Culture Arts Gaeltacht Sport and Media Co-operation with Northern Ireland Funding Scheme.
Echo Echo Principal Funder is Arts Council of Northern Ireland and The National Lottery through ACNI. Echo Echo is supported by Derry City and Strabane District Council and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
